Circulating apparatus for refining.



PATENTED AUG. 21, 1906.

T. B. SMITH. OIRGULATING APPARATUS FOR REPINING.

APPLICATION FILED MAB..26. 1906.

" 1- .oxldation'of linseed-oil, and therefining of STATES PATENT omen Specification of Letters Patent. Applicatiqnjiled March 26, 1906- Serial No; 308.117.

Patented an s 190s. Y

tummy concern; I I known that I, THEODORE EDWARD.

:citizen of the United States, residing at.

' tain n w; anduseful Improvements in Circu-. l'atjng Apparatus for Refining; of which the Y 'f ollow'ing'is' a ;sp.ecification; f

My inventio' relatesto improvements incirculatingapparatus for the refining, oxidation, and similar treatment of compounds which are treated in fluid form, eithersuspension, solution, orotherwise, such as occurs; in the drying of edible oils and-fats,-ithe deodoriza- 'tion of cotton-seed oil after-bleaching, the

-"various 1 compounds ,in- 'similar. manner, in

j whichthecommercial treatment ofthe com- .ipound requires that t be handled in rela tive'l IQHhe entirmasSjas rapidly and Constantly POSsiblei- The 'purposeoffmy invention to providean apparatus "whereby-such fluid compounds fs'uch a'mannerthat the, entire body will be "pose in a of time Witha small ex-- and-with a. simply com- 1 penditiire of power structedandreadil -installedapparatus and that suchsuperfioia exposurewill be-continu- 3-5" ously re eated so that the treatment to which tlie flui mass .is subj'ected'willbecompleted "ver shprttime; r Ano er object f my invention is to provide mechanical means for est'ablishing'a rise iJfIfganda return eurrentin a tank, whereby "the different ingredients contained in the tankwill he brought into intimateinolecular eontaotand'with. a minimum of mechanism, suchi as; is" requisite, for example, in the refiiiiling' of oot'ton'seed oil, as is hereinafter set .drt'h'. a

' lse and 'suchother objects as mayhereear are; attained ina fteriap by my invention,

Ioneembo iment of which is shown-in the ac-- 5.

' mp nyi sd a gsi w *Figure '1, is a' ve'rtical sectional vlewv of a typical tank. for the dryingof edible oils and fats, and Fig. 2 is a'view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking in theid'irection indicated by the 55 arrows. 4

' is'the tank; having mounted therein a v H p v --carries a pro eller E eehawken, in the county of Hudson. 5 and-State of New-Jersey,.have invented oer-i in relation toeach other in the manner which I shall hereinafter describe. i

p p xlarge quantities, andthe end desired is lattaifidaei fa cilitated'by the surface exposure maii be handled relatively large bodlies, ete

"brought-.to jthe surface and superficially ex 'ficial agitation, and so .the superficial. exposure of the contents of shaft Bi, carrying apropeller The shaft.

hollow shaft D, which.

B extends through a at its lower end-and is --%rovided at its upper end with agear-wheel 60 while the shaft-B is provided with a gearwheel G. These gear-wheels, are .rotatedin opposite'directionsby a gearwheel H, which meshes with.the gear-wheels F and Gr, the "gear-wheel H being. secured to the shaft 1,; 6 5 which is driven in any suitable manner. The propellers C and Earearranged so that their blades areoppositely pitched and are arranged f The action of a ropeller rotated at the, bottom of'a' tank an in a fluid body'and in 1.- direction to cause an upwardcirculation of thefluid is such. as I have demonstrated by experiments, as .to cause the fluid to flow up- 75- wardly andf outwardly, the lateral flow. de-fl pending upon" the. pitch of vthe propellerblades, but whatever the pitch may be so long as there is any pitch to cause an upward: flowofthe fluid such itch will cause a lat- 8 0 eralflow, with the resu t-that there is always a very limite'd upward circulation of the fluid; Consequently unless'the tank is very shallow the operation of the ropeller willbe merely such as its cause the uid to'rise slightlyand 8 then to flow-in'a curve toward the side of the tank and then downwardly. Consequently a large propeller maybe rapidly rotated in a' tank without causing-any appreciable super;

without facilitating 0* the tank while the initial rotat on of'a's ngle propeller, in a tankof fluid may result in-soine slight vertical agitation the, lateral move-. ment caused bythe rotation of the propeller 9 5 i will shortly so dominate the vertical movement that the entire con tents of the tank will take on a rotary move'mentwith no appre-" ciable' or useful vertical circulation. If, however, a second propeller be arranged above the mo, first propeller with its blades having an opposite pitch, the two propellers being rotated in opposite directions so as to cause an n ward movement ofthe contents of the ta the second propeller will catch the current m5 .rising from the first propeller as it begins to diverge toward the side of the tank and will tend to cause such diverging current to di-j verge in the opposite direction. When ad vantage is taken of this factby arranging the 1 1o propellers in accordancewith my invention, the resultant of the opposing action'of these i two propellers will be a substantially vertical current of sufiicient force to carry. the fluid from the propellers to the surface, along which it will' flow toward the side of the tank and thence downwardly to the propellers. Consequently the en tire contents of the tank will be rapidly brought to the surface and, givenseerj oil, and using eigl1te'en;(18) inch pro-' pellers having the blades at an ordinary or standard pitch the best results are attained by locating the propellers one and a half (1%) inches apartthat is, one twelfth of the diameter of the propellerwheels. It will thus be seen that my invention differs radically from those devices the purpose of which is merely to stir, beat, mix, or agitate the contents of a receptacle, where the stir-v ring or beating devices substantially occupy the entire interior of the vessel.

I, provide my mechanical device for the purpose of establishing a vertically-moving column of the fluid contents of the receptacle, and preferably a column which shall rise centrally, so as to carry to the surface the fluid contents which lie dee down in the receptacle, and thus estab ish a circulation which shall result in bringing the entire contents to the surface for the purpose of evaporation in a relatively short time. I

am therefore enabled to use a'device whichmay be small with relation to the entire apparatus and which serves merely tov start the vertical column, preferably at the bottom of the vessel, in such a manner that this me' chanically-established column will continue to rise until the surface of the fluid contents of the vessel is reached. g To attain the best results, it isimportant that the propellers have the proper vertical adjustment with relation to each other and have such a number of arms or blades that there will be no opportunity for the fluid to be at rest between'the propeller-wheels and not opportunity for any substantial lateral movement. wheels havingfou'r blades are most satisfactory, although three-bladed wheels maybe used if the blades are so proportioned that the space between the blades of the propeller wheel is but slightly greater than the width of the propeller-Wheel blades.

I find, therefore, that propeller- Applying my invention, for example, to the refining of mineral 0118 or to the drying of edlble 011s and fats, such as high-grade lard or lard-oil or cotton-seed oil, the opera tion will be as follows: In the manufacture of lard-oil, as is well known, after the lard-oil has been pressed out of the lard it contains a considerable quantity of water, which must be eliminated, for a very slight percentage of moisture remaining in lard or lard-oil will sour the lard or lard-oil.

When a tank is filled with lard-oil 'contain ing such moisture, the water being of greater specific gravity will of course tend to settle toward the bottom of the tank; but there will be no clear line of-separation unless the tank is allowed to stand for a longer period tha is consistent with commercial methods. Ciinsequently the water is to a considerable ex tent held in suspension in the oil, especially in the lower part of the tank. If it is sought to distil off the water by heat, the tank'must be subjected to sufficient heat to boil the water and to force it through the overlying bod y of lard-oil but this cannot be done, as the quality and flavor of the lard-oil will be affected by a temperature much in excess of 140 Fahrenheit; but with my invention 'as the propellers are set in operation the propeller C, which is nearest the bottom of the tank, will start the water and oil in an upward current, and as that currentbegins to diverge toward the sides of the tank the propeller E willtake it up and tend to send it in the op posite direction. The resultant of the action of these two propellers is the vertical current, (shown .by the arrows in the draw ings,) which carries the water to the surface of the tank, where part of the water is evaporated and part returns downwardly and is carried by the sides of the cone back to the propeller C, which again starts. the water upwardly. The result is that in a very short time and without. the use of any high temperatures the water will be entirely evaporated and. the oil may be .drawn off free. from moisture and ready for use as a high-grade In the manufacture of lard of high grade this same result may be attained, suffi cient heat only being used to keep the lard in fluid condition. y i

In the manufacture of cotton-seed oil it is well known that after the oil has been bleached by the use of fullers earth it has an exceedingly disagreeable odor, due to certain volatile elements. Here we have a product which cannot be subjected to ahigh temper ature for a long period withoutdeterioration; butby means ofmy invention the entire contents ofatank will be rapidly brought to the surface in. a short time, and in connection with refining by steam in a familiar manner the oil will be quickly deodorized with-" out impairing-the quality.

in the manufacture. of linseed oil where the j tank is filled with a mixture o'f'pressed oil and some oxygen-furnishing element, such as manganese or lead'dioxid,[for the production of boiled'oil by the oxidation ofthe pressed oil the process is facilitated by'my invention,

which rapidly and repeatedly exposes the entire contents of the tank-to the oxygen of the atmos here in a-relatively short period.

In t 'e refining of cotton-seed oil it is Well,

known that caustic soda is commonly used .and that the rapidit and efliciency of the process of refining is" argelyde the intimate interminghng .o the. oaqf i ic soda. with the cotton-seed o'il. "Because of the diflerences of specific gravity between the -soda, andthe oil there are difiiculties in bringing'about this intimate intermingling of these a elements, and while agitating devices have been used they are not practical connection with deep tanks of large capacity, for the f reason-that the soda is'not brought-tothe "surface, and so will not'be intermingled with the contents of theupper portion of the tank; but by means of my mvention'the contents of the bottom of the tank, whether it be caustic soda or anything else, will bebrought directly to the surface, whence it will diverge the elements and "a consequent hastening of from the center and descend, causing a constant, rapid, and intimate intermingling of Q i the processiof refinmgand with much better results. In such refining ofcotton-seed oil it is necessary to remove the free acid, resinous gums, coloring-matter, &c'. To accomplish this result, caustic soda isadded to the crude oil. Thecaustic soda combines with these undesirable elements to form foots? or soap-stock, which is a compound soluble in waterwhich formsatfirstinminuteparticles sayof the size of a pin-point. As theagitation of thefmass continues these pin-points form nuclei which gradually increase m size and are preci itated. In this process it is es- 'sential that tli into intimate contact with every molecule of the oil.

ecaustic soda shall'be brought Hence the necessity for some means of carr g-the particles of caustic soda up throng the entire mass of the oil, although the soda is much heavier than .theoil. The more-perfectly this is done and the longer it iscon'tinued the'clearer the oil becomes and the higher itsmar'ket value. VVhen the cot- -f ton-seed has been on storage for spine time,

continued for only a short time, because the' Y beater-arms will break up the particles of footsor soap-stock after they have atthe quantit of coloring-matter is greatly increased an it becomes generally impossible with present methods to make a high-priced oil therefrom. This isfor several reasons.

If, for example, a device is used with-a relatively vla rge number of mixing or beating arms which churn and agitate the entire mass ofoil-and caustic soda, the operation can be reabsorption of the eolorin endent upon the bottom of the of their small size, and -,foots which. lodge thereon do not interferewith the drawing oifv "tamed 'a certainasize. and-[the effect of-"tlns breaking up of such particles is to cause. the

oilbecomes an 01f oil w "ch then cannot be refined "into a high-grade oil. If, on the other hand, the agitation is stopped before this breaking up of the-foots takes place,

' the result isnot' only that-the .refirnng-1s stopped beforethe best results are attained, but-the foots remain in such small particles that they remain largely in suspension-in the oil. If the oil is washed with water to precipitate these suspended particles, v(they V will-be largely dissolved by the water an turn into the oil, thus afiecting' its color. If

contact with every. molecule of the'oilfrom the bottom to the top of the tank I attain this result with'such simple mechanism that -matter, and the .filt'ers, are relied upon, these small particles will collect on the filter-bags and the color will [go back into the oil, Not only so, but

the color to go back into there is practically no tendency to mechanioally breakup the particles 'of/ foots. 0on

sequently I am enabled to I IOO continue the clrculation of the caustic soda through the oil until all of the free acid, resinous gums, color-- 1 ing-matter, &c.,-are eliminated so far as it is j possible for the caustic soda to'attain this re-.

sult. fAt the same timethis prolonged. agita-' tion results in increa'smg} the particlesof tated and the'oil is entirely free therefrom. This result, I believe,has never before been attained.

'foots to such size *that they are all preoipi Owing to the location of my propellers at 1 tank, and especiallyin view of the, clear oil from the tank.

As indicating the utility of'my invention I have with an apparatus, as previously described, comprising a sixty-thousand (60,000) pound tank and a pair of 'eighteen'(18) inch propellers,

perfectly dried sixty thousand (60,000) pounds I hours, and with a two-horse-power motor, at

' a temperature of not to exceed thereby producing a choice quality of what is oon1.

monly known as salad-oil or butter-oil,

whereas with the best other apparatus now known there is no process for drying these of cotton-seed oil in three hi h rades of oil, which" must not be sub-,

jeted to a temperatureto exceed 140", with the exception of the universal practice of allowing such oilsto separate from the water by gravity, assisted by a sprinkling of salt brine in shallow tanks, such process fo sixty thousand (60,000) pounds of oil requiring between two and three days, after which the clear oil is drawn from the .top of the tanks,

leaving in the tanks a body of water at the .bottom superimposed by a mixed body of water and oil, from which high-quality oil cannot be produced by-processes now in use except by repeating the settling process.

In the manufacture of low-quality oils, Where the question of flavor and quality is not of importance, the water and oil are subjected to high temperatures, whereby the tanks containing oppositely-rotating beaters or mixers; but none of such devices, so far as I am aware, is constructed in accordance with my invention, whereby the. substantially vertical current is created, making it practical to carry the contents of a relatively, dee tank directly to the surface of the tan an insuring the rapid and repeated super- -ficialexposure of the entire contents of the tank, which issuch an important feature in the processes of manufactureto which I have briefly referred.

I do not, therefore, claim, broadly, a tank provided with two oppositely-rotating propellers; but I do claim such a structure in which the propellers are so arranged with relation to each other that the resultant of the action ofthc two propellers is to produce a substantially vertical current, whereby the superficial exposure or'intimate intermixture of the entire contents of the tank may be brought about.

I claim 1. The combination with a tank, of a pair of propellersof relatively small diameter in proportion to the diameter of the tank, said propellers being located in said tank adjacent to the bottom thereof and adjacent to each other, and means for simultaneously rotating said propellers in opposite directions whereby a resultant local rising current is created.

2. The combination with a tank, of a pair of propellers'arranged to rotate upon a common axis and adjacent to each other, and having their respective blades pitched in opposite directions, said propellers being ofsmall diameter'in-proportion to the diameter of the tank, and means for simultaneously rotating said propellers in opposite directions whereby a resultant local rising current is created centrally of the tank, anda descending current is induced at the side of the tank.

3. The combination with a tank, of a pair of propellers arranged to rotate upon a common axis and adjacent to each other and having their respective blades .pitched inoposite directions, the blades of said propellers being relatively short in proportion to the radiusof said tank, and means for simultane-- ously rotating said propellers in opposite directions whereby a local vertical current and an induced return current are created.

THEODORE EDWARD SMITH. Witnesses: v

CARL SCHMIDT, FERDINAND WELKER. 

